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Lucille Kallen

Writer

"None of us had the foresight to realize that these were momentous events that were happening: that there was gonna be a history springing from this."

About This Interview

Lucille Kallen (1922-99) was interviewed for three hours in Ardsley, NY.  Ms. Kallen talked about her early years in the Catskills and her longtime association with her mentor, producer Max Liebman, who hired her on the television show Admiral Broadway Revue.  She gave us a truly unique perspective as the only woman writer for Your Show of Shows, working alongside Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Sid Caesar, and her long-time writing partner Mel Tolkin.  The interview was conducted by Sunny Parich on April 25, 1998.

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics
  • Professions

Shows

  • Admiral Broadway Revue
  • Bell Telephone Hour, The
  • Stanley
  • U.S. Steel Hour, The
  • Your Show of Shows

People

  • Carol Burnett
  • Sid Caesar
  • Mel Tolkin

Topics

  • JFK Assassination and Funeral
  • Women

Professions

  • Writers & Show Creators
YouTube video player - HTML5 compatible.
  • Interview
  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics

Interview

  • Part 1
  • Introduction
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On her early years growing up in Toronto; on her early interest in writing; on performing in revues in the Catskills
    Clip begins at: 00:11
  • Part 2
  • On working on Max Liebman's revues at Tamiment Resort in the Catskills; on meeting Mel Tolkin and Imogene Coca; on first seeing television; on the start of The Admiral Broadway Revue
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On the format of The Admiral Broadway Revue
    Clip begins at: 26:49
  • Part 3
  • On writing for The Admiral Broadway Revue
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On writing for Your Show of Shows
    Clip begins at: 08:43
  • Part 4
  • On working with Imogene Coca on Your Show of Shows
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On working with Howard Morris, Carl  Reiner, and Mel Brooks on Your Show of Shows
    Clip begins at: 07:32
  • On some of the memorable sketches on Your Show of Shows
    Clip begins at: 19:14
  • Part 5
  • On how Your Show of Shows compared to other shows at the time and how it influenced others; on the show's ending
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On working with Max Liebman on U.S. Steel Hour specials; on Stanley; on writing a play with Mel Tolkin
    Clip begins at: 11:48
  • On becoming a novelist
    Clip begins at: 23:35
  • Part 6
  • On writing for The Bell Telephone Hour
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On "the golden age of television"; on comedy writing; on some of the people she worked with over the years
    Clip begins at: 05:53
  • On some photos illustrating her career
    Clip begins at: 16:08

Shows

  • Admiral Broadway Revue
    • Writer Lucille Kallen the format of The Admiral Broadway Revue
      Clip begins at: 26:49, Duration: 01m 51s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on the main stars of Admiral Broadway Revue (and the chemistry between Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca)
      Clip begins at: 00:15, Duration: 00m 46s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on Admiral Broadway Revue and Your Show of Shows choreographer James Starbuck
      Clip begins at: 03:16, Duration: 00m 27s
  • Bell Telephone Hour, The
    • Lucille Kallen on writing for The Bell Telephone Hour
      Clip begins at: 00:02, Duration: 05m 51s
  • Stanley
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on the casting of Carol Burnett on Stanley
      Clip begins at: 19:29, Duration: 01m 10s
  • U.S. Steel Hour, The
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on working on U.S. Steel Hour variety shows with Max Liebman
      Clip begins at: 15:05, Duration: 04m 14s
  • Your Show of Shows
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on the performance-level of Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca (made apparant to her one day when the two were creating a pantomime for Your Show of Shows)
      Clip begins at: 01:24, Duration: 01m 32s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on Admiral Broadway Revue and Your Show of Shows choreographer James Starbuck
      Clip begins at: 03:16, Duration: 00m 27s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on how much more expansive Your Show of Shows was compared to the earlier Admiral Broadway Revue
      Clip begins at: 08:43, Duration: 01m 11s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on the offices at Your Show of Shows and her issue with the constant cigar smoke
      Clip begins at: 09:55, Duration: 01m 53s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on the movie parodies and Sid Caesar's penchant for "double-talk" on Your Show of Shows
      Clip begins at: 13:45, Duration: 01m 36s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on how her writing workweek began with Mel Tolkin collaborating on the husband-and-wife sketch "The Hickenloopers" on Your Show of Shows
      Clip begins at: 16:45, Duration: 01m 42s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on how in-tune the ensemble and writers were with each other on Your Show of Shows
      Clip begins at: 20:36, Duration: 01m 20s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on Your Show of Shows star Sid Caesar
      Clip begins at: 22:30, Duration: 00m 29s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on being the only female staff writer on Your Show of Shows (and contrasting herself with then-contemporary female comedy writer Selma Diamond)
      Clip begins at: 23:38, Duration: 01m 57s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on an undercurrent of bias she felt as the only female staff writer on Your Show of Shows
      Clip begins at: 25:53, Duration: 01m 56s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on working with Imogene Coca on Your Show of Shows
      Clip begins at: 00:03, Duration: 07m 29s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on the live production aspects of Your Show of Shows
      Clip begins at: 07:32, Duration: 11m 42s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on some of the memorable sketches on Your Show of Shows
      Clip begins at: 19:14, Duration: 08m 55s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on how Your Show of Shows compared to other shows at the time and how it influenced others; on the show's ending
      Clip begins at: 00:02, Duration: 11m 46s

People

  • Mel Brooks
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on working with Mel Brooks on Your Show of Shows
      Clip begins at: 14:04, Duration: 05m 10s
  • Carol Burnett
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on the casting of Carol Burnett on Stanley
      Clip begins at: 19:29, Duration: 01m 10s
  • Sid Caesar
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on the main stars of Admiral Broadway Revue (and the chemistry between Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca)
      Clip begins at: 00:15, Duration: 00m 46s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on the performance-level of Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca (made apparant to her one day when the two were creating a pantomime for Your Show of Shows)
      Clip begins at: 01:24, Duration: 01m 32s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on Your Show of Shows star Sid Caesar
      Clip begins at: 22:30, Duration: 00m 29s
  • Imogene Coca
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on working with Imogene Coca on Your Show of Shows
      Clip begins at: 00:03, Duration: 07m 29s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on the main stars of Admiral Broadway Revue (and the chemistry between Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca)
      Clip begins at: 00:15, Duration: 00m 46s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on the performance-level of Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca (made apparant to her one day when the two were creating a pantomime for Your Show of Shows)
      Clip begins at: 01:24, Duration: 01m 32s
  • Selma Diamond
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on being the only female staff writer on Your Show of Shows (and contrasting herself with then-contemporary female comedy writer Selma Diamond)
      Clip begins at: 23:38, Duration: 01m 57s
  • Buddy Hackett
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on the casting of Carol Burnett on Stanley
      Clip begins at: 19:29, Duration: 01m 10s
  • Max Liebman
    • Writer Lucille Kallen the format of The Admiral Broadway Revue
      Clip begins at: 26:49, Duration: 01m 51s
  • James Starbuck
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on Admiral Broadway Revue and Your Show of Shows choreographer James Starbuck
      Clip begins at: 03:16, Duration: 00m 27s
  • Mel Tolkin
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on first meeting and working with writer Mel Tolkin
      Clip begins at: 12:35, Duration: 05m 23s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen the format of The Admiral Broadway Revue
      Clip begins at: 26:49, Duration: 01m 51s

Topics

  • Historic Events and Social Change > Diversity in Television > Women
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on being the only female staff writer on the classic '50s variety series Your Show of Shows (and contrasting herself with then-contemporary female comedy writer Selma Diamond)
      Clip begins at: 23:38, Duration: 01m 57s
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on an undercurrent of bias she felt as the only female staff writer on Your Show of Shows
      Clip begins at: 25:53, Duration: 01m 56s
  • Historic Events and Social Change > JFK Assassination and Funeral
    • Writer Lucille Kallen on being in a meeting for The Bell Telephone Hour and learning President Kennedy had been shot 
      Clip begins at: 03:34, Duration: 01m 01s
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